About the Project
The Retro Crate is a curated nostalgia-based gift and collectibles shop on Etsy, offering themed crates filled with vintage-style goods. Originally launched without a cohesive brand system, the shop needed a visual identity that matched its personality and customer appeal.
My Role
As a creative collaborator (and friend of the founder), I stepped in to build the full visual language and digital experience of The Retro Crate from the ground up. This included:
• Designing the logo and core identity system
• Creating a brand moodboard to define tone and aesthetics
• Developing UI/UX mockups for a standalone site concept
• Writing brand-aligned quotes, taglines, and campaign statements
• Designing marketing visuals for future promotional use
• Curating existing product photography (from Etsy) for layout and mockup purposes
Strategic Approach
• Translate a raw Etsy storefront into a cohesive, ownable brand identity
• Create a framework for potential future web expansion beyond Etsy
• Express a clear personality that blends nostalgia, curation, and fun
The visual direction plays into retro variety store meets curated collector box — balancing bold typographic treatments with warm, analog-inspired textures. Identity work centered around approachability and DIY charm without feeling messy or unconsidered.
The web mockup imagines a DTC-friendly experience: modular, scalable, and consistent with the crate’s gifting and collecting appeal.
